Gospel music is one of the oldest forms of music. With its origins being traced back as far as the 17th century, Gospel singers have preached the words of the good book for centuries and are making some of the best gospel and Christian songs of 2018.
Gospel singers for a long time had to sing without musical accompaniment outside of clapping and stomping – black gospel music has a strong tradition of using the human hands and feet as instruments.
More recently, these hymns and songs feature the same strong harmonies, but also organs to tambourines to electric guitars. Beginning in the 1920s and 1930s, gospel artists became some of the most popular singers in the world.
The best gospel singers are wildly popular in the Christian community are closely associated with other Christian singers. Today, within the Christian community, gospel singers are as, if not more popular than Christian rock bands, which is saying a lot.
So, who are the best gospel singers? Any list of gospel artists has to include male gospel singers like Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, BeBe Winans, and Fred Hammond, as well as female Christian singers like CeCe Winans, Yalonda Adams and Shirley Caesar.
These gospel singers are considered some of the best in the genre and it’s with good reason that they’re at or near the top of this poll. The best gospel artists are well represented on this list and with good reason. When you think of Christian singers and gospel artists, you should be able to use this list as a great point of reference.
Some Nigerian gospel singer made it to this list, gospel acts such as Sinach, Nathaniel Bassey, Frank Edwards and St. Chika.
CHECK OUT THE LIST;
1 Donnie McClurkin
Genres: Hymn, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music
2 Kirk Franklin
Genres:Christian hip hop, Urban contemporary gospel
3 Fred Hammond
Genres: Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music
4 Marvin Sapp
Genres: Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music
5 Yalonda Adams
6 CeCe Winans
Genres: Pop music, Hymn, Contemporary worship music
7 Shirley Caesar
Genres: Gospel music
8 Mahalia Jackson
Genres: Gospel music
9 John P. Kee
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Gospel music
10 Andraé Crouch
Genres: Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music
11 Marvin Winans
Genre: Gospel music
12 BeBe & CeCe Winans
Genre: Pop music, Contemporary Christian music, Urban contemporary gospel
13 Israel Houghton
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music
14 Karen Clark Sheard
Genre: Contemporary Christian music, Urban contemporary gospel, Rhythm and blues
15 Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
Genre: Gospel music
16 BeBe Winans
Genre: Adult contemporary music, Pop music, Rhythm and blues
17 Kurt Carr
Genre: Contemporary worship music, Gospel music
18 Chris Tomlin
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music
19 Deitrick Haddon
Genre: Pop music, Electronic dance music, Urban contemporary gospel
20 Don Moen
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music
21 Youthful Praise
Genre: Gospel music
22 Sinach
23 Kim Burrell
Genre: Jazz
24 Tasha Cobbs
25 Twinkie Clark
Genre: Gospel music
26 Dottie Peoples
27 LeCrae
Genre: Hip hop music, Christian hip hop, Gangsta rap
28 God’s Property
Genre: Gospel music
29 Albertina Walker
Genre: Gospel music
30 Darlene Zschech
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music
31 David Phelps
Genres: Christian music, Southern Gospel, Gospel music
32 Five Blind Boys of Alabama
Genres: Gospel music, Blues
33 Daryl Coley
Genres: Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music
34 Ron Kenoly
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music
35 William McDowell
36 Frank Edwards
37 James Moore
38 Sandi Patty
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music
39 Jason Crabb
Genres: Christian music, Southern Gospel
40 Michael W. Smith
Genres: Christian music, Pop music, Contemporary Christian music
41 The Crabb Family
Genres: Christian music
42 Larnelle Harris
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music
43 Vestal Goodman
Genres: Southern Gospel
44 Sohyang
Genres: Contemporary Christian music
45 Cathedral Quartet
Genres: Christian music, Southern Gospel
46 Michael English
Genres: Christian music, Pop music, Contemporary Christian music
47 Kari Jobe
Genres: Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music, Country
48 The Hoppers
Genres: Southern Gospel
49 Keith Green
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Rock and roll
50 Jake Hess
Genres: Southern Gospel
51 Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Genre: Christian music, Southern Gospel
52 Gold City
Genre: Christian music, Southern Gospel
53 Thomas A. Dorsey
Genre: Gospel music, Blues
54 The Blackwood Brothers
Christian music, Southern Gospel
55 Nathaniel Bassey
Genre: Contemporary Worship, Nigerian Junglebeat-Rock Worship, Rock
56 Jerry Butler & The Impressions
Genre: Rhythm and blues, Soul music, Gospel music
57 The Happy Goodman Family
Genre: Southern Gospel
58 Elvis Presley
Genre: Christian music, Pop music, Rock music
59 J. D. Sumner
Genre: Southern Gospel, Gospel music
60 George Beverly Shea
61 Babbie Mason
62 Andy Mineo
Genre: Christian hip hop
63 Jessy Dixon
Genre: Christian music, Rhythm and blues, Gospel music
64 Kathy Troccoli
Genre: Christian music
65 The Talleys
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Southern Gospel
66 Lee Williams and The Spiritual QC’s
67 The Martins
Genre: Contemporary Christian music, Southern Gospel
68 Marion Williams
Genre: Christian music, Gospel music
69 Brian Courtney Wilson
Genre: Urban contemporary, Contemporary Christian music
70 The Rambos
Genre: Christian music, Southern Gospel
71 The Florida Boys
72 The Inspirations
Genre: Southern Gospel
73 Matt Redman
Genre: Christian music, Pop music, Contemporary worship music
74 Planetshakers
Genre: Christian rock,Contemporary Christian music,Contemporary worship music
75 Barrett sisters
76 Carter Family
Genre: Country
77 Kirk Talley
Genre: Southern Gospel, Gospel music
78 The LeFevres
Genre: Southern Gospel
79 The McKameys
Genre: Southern Gospel
80 Tamika Patton
Genre: Gospel/Soul/Jazz
81 Damita
82 Damita Jo DeBlanc
83 The Chuck Wagon Gang
Genre: Bluegrass, Southern Gospel
84 The Andrews Sisters
Genre: Girl group, Swing music, Boogie-woogie
85 ESTHER EDWARD
Genre: GOSPEL
86 David Crowder Band
Genre: Electronic music, Contemporary worship music, Folk rock
87 Damita
Genre: gospel music
88 The Perrys
89 Lincoln Brewster
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music
90 St. Chika
91 LaKisha Jones
Genre: Pop music, Contemporary R&B, Rhythm and blues
92 Mighty Elohim
Genre: Gospel Rap/ Hip Hop – Eternal Bangers!
93 Deborah Fraser
94 Bridget Blucher
95 Marshall Hall
96 Kitty Wells
Genre: Nashville sound, Honky-tonk, Gospel music
97 The Lewis Family
Genre: Bluegrass, Gospel music
98 Lisa Bevill
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music
99 Gayla Earlene
Genre: Christian music, Gospel music, Country
100 Darrell Evans
Genre: Christian music
